Oxford Leader Editor C.J. Carnacchio brought home four more awards April 17 from the Detroit Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ).
The 37-year-old Oxford resident earned first place in the Best Consumer/Watchdog reporting category for his Dec. 26, 2012 story ‘Taking on the phone company.?
This piece reported on how AT&T continued charging Collier Lanes, a bowling alley in Oxford, for an emergency phone line that had been disconnected 12 or 13 years ago. As a result of Carnacchio’s efforts, the phone company paid Collier Lanes approximately $11,500.
Of the story, the judges wrote, ‘A good job representing the issue of unprovided service for a local company.?
Carnacchio won second place in the Editorial Writing category for an Aug. 1, 2012 editorial opposing a property tax to support the Detroit Institute of Arts.
The judges wrote, ‘There is no pussyfooting around it: The Oxford Leader is opposed to the use of tax money to support the Detroit Institute of Arts . . . This is an old-fashioned tub-thumper of an editorial.?
Carnacchio also earned awards for his skills behind a camera.
In the News Photography category, he earned second place for the Feb. 8, 2012 picture entitled ‘Stop that turkey!?
It featured a Michigan Department of Natural Resources officer’s fruitless attempts to capture a rogue wild turkey who had been causing all sorts of trouble along Seymour Lake Rd.
In the Feature Photography category, Carnacchio won second place for the June 13, 2012 photo entitled ‘Summer splash!?
It depicted Oxford Elementary student Sophie Boglaev dousing herself in cool water during the school’s annual Field Day to celebrate the end of the school year.
All of Carnacchio’s SPJ awards were earned in the Print Class C classification, which is for non-daily newspapers, magazines and trade publications with circulations less than 50,000.
In this class, Carnacchio competed with journalists and photographers from HOUR Detroit Magazine, Detroit Jewish News, Grosse Pointe Times, Troy Times, West Bloomfield Beacon and The Michigan Catholic.
Since joining the Leader back in May 1999, Carnacchio has now earned a grand total of 63 awards for his writing and photography skills from the Detroit SPJ, Michigan Press Association and the National Newspaper Association.